Improvement in apparatus for supporting and ventilating wounded limbs



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paratus. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section,

ties Cl and F.

y UNITED VSTATES ATENT GFFICE.

GEORGE S. FOWLES, OF NEW CASTLE, MAINE.

i '.IMPROVEM'ENT 1N APPARATUS Foa SUPPORTING AND VENTILAT'ING woUNoED iii/lss.

Specification forming part of Letters Pa Be it known that L GEORGE S. FowLEs, of New Castle, State of Maine, have invented certain new and valuable improvements in apparatus for supporting and cleansing fractured limbs and other wounds;` and l hereby de'.- clare that the followingis a true and exact'description of the same`,"reference beingy had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 representsa plan view' of my apand Fig. 3 a side elevation ofthe-same. v

The letter A in Fig. 2 represents the frame of my machine,which consists of the two bed` pieces B and D, the corner-posts E, and thek y The bedpieces B and D are placed parallel and.l about thirty-six inches apart, and are made ot' scantliug three inches square, more or less. The bed-piece D is twelve inches in length, but may be made a little longer if necessary. The bed-pieceAB is only about eight inches in length. At each end of the two bed-pieces B and D there is a corner-post, E, made of boards two inches, more or less, in thickness, and of the same width as the ends of the bed'pieces. The corner-posts E extend upward from two to three feet at one end of the frame Aand a little less at the other end, those fastened to the ends of D being the highest. The cornerposts E are fastened to the ends of bed-pieces B and D by a screw.

C represents thes, t-ie of which there are two, one on each side ofthe frame. The ties C extend at each end a little beyond the cornerposts E, and are set into F about half their thickness, their upper edge being iiush with the top of E. The ties G may be made an inch thick and two inches in width.

The corner-posts E are bound together by two additional ties. (Marked F.) rI'he ties F rest at each end on the bed-pieces B and D, and are cut in sufficiently deep to receive the corner-posts E, thus making their outer edge tlush with the corner posts E. The ties F may be made two inches in thickness and four inches in with.

G represents a sheet of tin or zinc, slightly concave lengthwise, and forming the bottom of the frame A. The sides of sheet G rest on the top of ties F, which are made slightly contentraa'onca, dated oem-gr 6,1863. y

cave to receive G. The ends of G rest on'the -bed-pieces B and D. l

H represents a rest intended to support the well'lcg of the patient, and is made of a board -of suitable strength, but not so wide as the bedpiece D. The rest H is made about twenty inches in length, convex on its upper surface, and flat on the lower side. The` rest His placed in a line with the bottomof bed-piece l), and is fastened to D by means of a plate of spring-steel, two screws securing the plate to H and two to the bottom of bed-piece'D, and space being left between the ends'of rest `H and bed piece D to allow H to play freely up and down.

K represents the adjustable shaft, which is attached by a single screw-bolt to thecornerpostE opposite to the rest "H. The shaft K, which may be considered an extension of tie F, is about twenty inches in'v length. v

L represents a piece of india-rubber cloth, suiiiciently wide to extend from thel'outer end of shaft K to a point four or five inches on the surface of plate G. The cloth L has a slit in it at its edge to admit the corner-post E,'so that as much of the cloth L will lap on the rest H as on the end of plate G. The partof cloth L that laps on G is fastened to the ties F, and the parts that lap on rest H and shaft K may be secured in their position by small tacks or strong thread.

The letter fm in Fig. 1 represents the strips of linen or cotton cloth designed to support the wounded limb, the number and size of these strips may be' varied to suit the requirements of the surgeon. The strips m are fastened at their ends to metal points (marked e) on the outside of ties C, and can be easily ad justed to suit the comfort of the patient.

u represents a smallmetal rod, bent at each end so as to form the two legs marked d. The legs d must be sufficiently long to raise the horizontal rod n out of the way ofthe surgeon. The legs d are at right angles with rod fn, and must be far enough apart to enter the staples in corner-posts E at opposite ends and lengthwise ofthe frame A.

P represents the water and ice reservoir, which -is made of zinc or tin, being about a foot in length, a little less in width, and four or five inches in depth at the compartment designed to contain ice. The water-compartreservoirP can play upon the rods o which support it, it can be moved to any point over the concave plate G, so as to bring the water immediately over the Wounded limb. At thebottom otl the hoppcrshaped extension of the Water-compartment several small perforations are made, and into them are inserted wooden pins tapering to a point. The pressure ofthe Water causes it to distill drop by drop on the lWounded limb. Tepid Water is first put into the Water-compartment, and ice, being placed in the other compartment gradually melts and escapes above the top of the partition, thus by degrees reducing the temperature of the t "pid water as the patient may be able to bear the change.

In operating my apparatus it is first placed on a bed and the patients leg extended the length of the concave plate G in the easiest position in reference to his Wound. The linen strips being passed under the limb, it is raised sufficiently highto admit. of a free ventilation under it, at the same time the patients body, which rests on the cloth L, is to be-propped up with pillows at such an angle as will make his posture easy. The Well leg reposes on the rest H, and the patient is then in condition for the offices ofthe surgeon. The rest Hand the shaft K can be shifted to opposite sides, so as to be adapted to the treatment of Wounds in either leg.

The advantages resulting from the use of this apparatus are obvious. The Wounded limb can be approached from either side and dressed Without iniiicting pain by changing its position. All purnlent matter discharged from the limb falls upon the concave channel made to receive it, and is carried off to a vessel at the foot of the bed. Should there be any suppuration from the body of the patient,

it is conducted either to the concave G or into a crease in the rubber cloth in Ithe direction of the rest H, where itcan be received into another vessel. The ventilation of the Wounded limb andthe removal of all offensive matter from the person` of the patient place him in the most favorable circumstance for rapid recovery.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The rubber cloth L, arranged in the manner and for the purposeherein specified.

2. The Water and ice reservoir P, in combi nation withthc rods n, the rods o, the legs d, and the concave G, the whole constructed and arranged as herein set forth.- f

GEORGE S. FOWLES.

Witnesses:

CHARLES ALEXANDER, EDM. F. BROWN. 

